Electric ironing machine



June 14, 1949. F. T. FUGE ELECTRIC IRONING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 4, 194e IN VEN TOR.

` FRED 7.` FU@ ATTCI RNEYB June 1.4, 1949. n F, T, FUGE 2,472,891

ELECTRIC IRONING MACHINE Filed Jan. 4,1946 2 sheets-sheet 2 o 58 56 34 2s lo INVENTOR. FRED 7. FUGE m gi/mw@ Patented `unle 14, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC IRONING MACHINE Fred T. Fuge, Fostoria, Ohio Application January 4, 1946, Serial No. 639,135

1 Claim'. 1

This invention relates to an electric ironing board which will permit the operator thereof to iron clothes on the board while sitting down instead of standing up as is the usual custom at the present time when using the conventional ironing board.

An object of the invention is to provide a board wherein the operator has only to spread the clothes on the board and steer the iron over the clothes controlling the arm by a knee swivel or knee operated switch.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric ironing board having an iron attached to the board but relatively movable with respect thereto. Such movement being powered by an electric motor so that the operator thereof may iron while seated.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists of the novel details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side View thereof.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 and Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view of the circular plate and retaining means therefore.

Referring more in detail to the drawing the numeral I 8 designates a rectangular shaped base frame having sockets I2 secured to one end thereof by screws I4 and sockets I6 at the other end thereof to removably receive the legs I8 and 20 respectively and it is to be understood that these legs are in pairs and a description of one of each pair will suffice to fully explain the construction of both.

The leg I8 comprises the tubular sleeve 22 in which is telescopically fitted the iloor contacting rod portion 24 thus the leg I8 will adjust the frame IIJ at various angles with respect to the floor and such adjustment will be retained by means of the set screw 25. The leg 20 is of tubular formation and adjustment of this leg for height is obtained by sliding movement upwardly or downwardly in the sockets I2 and the leg 20 will be retained in fixed adjusted position by means of the winged screws 26 in the sockets I2. The leg I 8 and 20 are provided with 'rubber feet 21 to prevent slipping thereof on the floor.

The frame I0 is provided with longitudinally extending spaced parallel rods 28 which are secured to the ironing board 30 in sliding relation therewith by means of hangers 32 secured to the board 3G by screws 34.

Secured to the frame II) adjacent one end thereof and properly spaced from the end by means of screws 36 are the brackets 38 which are secured to the undersurface of the supporting plate 46 which is adapted to support the circular plate 42 which is rotatably mounted on the plate 48 by retaining brackets 44 secured to the plate 48 by screws 43 and a central pivot 45 in the plate 48.

Mounted on the plate 42 is a reversible type motor 46 having a gear 48 secured to the drive shaft 50 by a screw 52 in the gear hub, and this gear meshes with a gear rack 54 mounted in a recess 56 in the arm 58 and secured to the arm by screws 68 and the arm is secured for movement on the plate 42 by means of hangers 6I secured to the plate 42 by screws 63.

Secured to the forward end of the arm 58 by a screw 62 is the ball joint 64 of the swivel connection 68 the sockets 68 of which is secured to the iron 'I0 by a bolt i2 and a bolt and nut 'I4 in the socket 68 tensions the socket on the ball joint 64.

The iron 'I8 is of the electric type and current is supplied thereto by the cable 'I8 which is retained on the arm 58 by screw eyes 'I8 and the cable 'I6 is provided with the lconventional plug 88 for connection to a source of electrical current.

Operation of the motor is controlled by the knee swivel or knee switch 82 which is secured to the frame I and the motor and switch are connected by the cable 84 on which the conventional plug 86 is provided for connection to a source of electrical current the cable 84 being secured to the frame I8 by hangers 88.

The motor is as stated of the reversible type and operation of the knee swivel 82 which is of a type that permits the motor to be started in a forward direction, stopped in a neutral position and then restarted in a reverse rotation, will upon movement thereof to the right or left energize the motor to cause the arm 58 to reciprocate on the board as desired.

The swivel connection permits the iron to be swung in several arcs, as desired and will also permit the iron to be stood on end for the cooling thereof and between ironing various pieces of clothes. To stand the iron on end it is rst swung about the universal swivel joint 68 until the sole plate thereof is in a vertical plane, and is then swung about the axis of the bolt 12 to stand the iron on its heel end.

The ironing board is adjustable for length on the rods 28, it is adjustable for height by the legs and the legs can be removed so that the board can be placed on a table.

The iron can be of the automatic type which controls the heat thereof as desired, and can be of any shape or size desired.

This ironing board will relieve the operator of the drudgery connected with ironing since it eliminates the labor of pushing the iron back and forth on the board and the operator can be seated while operating the iron similar to the operator of a sewing machine or roll ironer. The movement of the iron being controlled by a switch in close proximity to the knee of the operator and a pad can be used with the board if desired.

It is believed that the operation and construction of the board and its associated parts will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is to be understood that various changes in the details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A device of the character described, comprising an ironing board, a supporting frame for said ironing board, a substantially square shaped plate supported on said frame above said board in spaced relation thereto, a circular plate rotatably mounted at the center of said square shaped plate, means for retaining said circular plate on said square shaped plate, a motor mounted on said circular plate, a gear secured to the shaft 4 of said motor, an arm mounted on said circular plate for sliding movement in relation thereto, hangers secured to said circular plate for retaining said arm thereon, a rack on said arm meshing with said gear, a universal joint on the forward end of said arm, an iron, a pivotal connection on said iron adapted to be connected to said universal joint, a knee switch on said frame for controlling said motor whereby said iron is moved along said ironing board, and means is secured to said board and said frame so that said board is movable longitudinally thereof with relation to said frame.

FRED T. FUGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 122,680 Thomas Jan. 9, 1872 322,217 Varney July 14, 1885 339,213 Richardson Apr. 6, 1886 597,410 Harris Jan. 18, 1898 850,608 Tobiasz Apr. 16, 1907 854,109 Rosenbaum May 21, 1907 861,630 Becker July 30, 1907 912,271 Powell Feb. 9, 1909 1,075,788 Oros Oct. 14, 1913 1,507,812 Burzynski Sept. 9, 1924 1,684,584 Hilgedick Sept. 18, 1928 1,853,395 Anderson et al Apr. 12, 1932 2,061,275 Hume Nov. 17, 1936 2,197,448 Chinnici Apr. 16, 1940 2,267,000 Sutton Dec. 23, 1941 

